Cognition

Proven: Napping Boosts Productivity and Improves Mental Health

Have you ever snuck a nap in the middle of the day? Modern schedules tend to favor people who are up at dawn and steadily working until sundown. Benjamin Franklin and other fathers of our nation praised those who worked tirelessly, eschewing sleep until nightfall. Our society is set up to support this behavior; jobs begin early and lunch breaks are nonexistent or too short for more than a quick bite to eat. People who sleep a bit in the early afternoon are even considered lazy by many. However, the disdain for the afternoon siesta may be counterproductive. There are several benefits of napping that we are missing out on by pushing through the day rather than pausing to get the rest we need.

The National Deficit of Sleep

Americans are not skipping their daily siesta because they get enough sleep at night. Quite the contrary; sleeplessness is reaching epidemic levels. Researchers estimate that 40 percent of adults and 70 percent of teens are sleep-deprived. The amount of sleep that we get has dropped by 20 percent in the past century. People are getting less sleep than ever in human history, which may be tied to rising rates of metabolic disease.

What can Americans do to improve our sleep, and thus national public health? Experts suggest that a good old-fashioned nap may be the answer. Not only can a nap add to your total sleep time, but it can help you be even more productive and creative once you wake.

The Proven Benefits of Napping

According to research conducted over the past decade, there are several important benefits of napping. People who nap have sharper minds and are able to solve complex cognitive tasks more quickly and correctly. Napping also reduces frustration levels and encourages good mental health. While many think of a nap as wasted time, it may actually make you more productive. After a nap, you think more creatively and work more quickly, making up for any time lost in sleep—and then some.

Can’t we just opt for an earlier bedtime? Is napping better than sleeping longer at night? The jury on this subject is still out, but evidence suggests that we are biologically primed for a short siesta. Hormones associated with alertness dip in the early afternoon, leaving many people feeling tired and duller mentally. If you are sleep-deprived, this afternoon dip in brain function has an even greater effect. This mid-day sleepiness can affect productivity immensely if people do not get the rest that they need to move on with the rest of their day.

How to Nap Like a Pro

If you are interested in making a quick nap part of your lifestyle, experts have a few suggestions for getting the most out of your sleep. First, nap at the same time every day, preferably the time when you are most prone to feeling sleepy. Be sure to limit this time so you do not get too deep into your sleep cycles to wake up quickly; experts recommend 20 to 60 minutes as the ideal nap length. Second, find a comfortable and quiet place so you can nod off quickly and get the most out of your sleep. If you plan to take only a 20-minute nap, drink a cup of coffee first. Although this may sound counterproductive, caffeine takes around this length of time to take effect so it will be kicking in right as you are waking up.

The benefits of napping are clear, so why don’t Westerners make it a national habit? If you’re suffering from an afternoon slump, taking a quick nap may be just what the scientists ordered. Even a short 20 minutes of sleep could leave you renewed, refreshed and ready to take on the rest of your day.

Are Prenatal Vitamins a Pregnancy Necessity?

Jul 22 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

It’s a long-held belief that all expecting mothers should take a prenatal vitamin formula to reduce the risk of birth defects, nutrient deficiencies and other health problems. However, there are always skeptics who chime in as to why supplementing with extra nutrients may not actually be necessary while pregnant. If you’re on the fence, here is some of the latest information supporting the importance of supplementing with a prenatal vitamin while pregnant.

Folic Acid Is Crucial

Folic acid is also known as folate or vitamin B9. This vitamin is needed for the synthesis and creation of DNA, the production of red blood cells, the metabolism of amino acids, and for the growth of the placenta and fetus. A woman’s need for folic acid increases during pregnancy. Although the United States started fortifying grain products with vitamin B9 in 1998, most women still don’t get enough of it.

Taking folic acid is essential for reducing the risk of neural tube defects. This type of birth defect can be very severe,and some of these defects have a very low survival rate and life expectancy. One well-known neural tube defect is spina bifida, which occurs when the membranes around the spinal cord do not close completely. Spina bifida usually requires after-birth surgery and periodic medical attention throughout life. Another example of a neural tube defect is anencephaly, in which the baby is born lacking a cerebrum, which is the largest part of the brain.

Although neural tube defects are a terrible thing for a mother to experience, it’s also easy to greatly reduce your unborn child’s risk. In countries where flour is fortified with folic acid, there is a 46 percent lower rate of neural tube defects. You can bring the number down even further by simply taking a prenatal supplement with folic acid every day.

Folic acid may also help prevent other birth defects including heart defects and cleft palate, though more research is needed to confirm this. Additionally, because neural tube defects take place before most women even know they are pregnant, it’s important to start taking a prenatal vitamin formula with folic acid as soon as you start trying to conceive.

Other Benefits of Prenatal Supplements

Folic acid is arguably the most important prenatal vitamin that you should take. However, there are a few other nutrients with pregnancy benefits that you should learn about.

It is prudent for expecting mothers to take a supplement with vitamin D. Although vitamin D is obtained through sunlight, fortified dairy, fatty fish and egg yolk, most Americans still don’t get enough of it. Being deficient in vitamin D may increase your risk of preeclampsia, intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, low birth weight, preterm birth, gestational diabetes and the need for caesarean delivery.

Calcium is one of few nutrients that your body takes from its own stores in order to help your baby grow. This means that if you aren’t getting enough calcium in your diet, your body will take it from your bones and teeth. You can reduce your risk of lifelong bone density problems by taking a prenatal vitamin formula containing calcium.

Some of the other most important nutrients to look for in a prenatal supplement include iron, iodine, choline and omega-3 fatty acids.

So, Do I Need a Prenatal Vitamin?

There remain some people who argue against the benefits of taking a prenatal vitamin formula. Skeptics raise some good points, such as the fact that you don’t necessarily need to supplement every single vitamin and mineral. However, the reality is that most Americans fall short when it comes to many key nutrients and that your need for certain vitamins like vitamin D and folic acid do rise during pregnancy. What’s more, nutrient deficiencies in the mother have more severe effects in babies. Ultimately, research supports incorporating a comprehensive prenatal vitamin formulation into your prenatal care program during pregnancy and beyond, while breastfeeding.

One study published in the journal Fertility and Sterility called the “Longitudinal Investigation of Fertility and the Environment Study” found that women who take a prenatal multivitamin daily during pregnancy have a 55 percent lower risk of losing their baby. Other studies have found consistent reductions in the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth and preterm birth.

Some people are more likely to highly benefit from taking a prenatal multivitamin formula than others. Supplementation during pregnancy is even more crucial for teenage mothers, women who smoke or have a history of using other substances, women who have suffered from eating disorders, women who take certain medications, vegetarians and vegans and women who are carrying twins, triplets, or beyond. However, taking a high-quality prenatal vitamin formula is a necessity for all women who are expecting or trying to conceive. This is confirmed by several health authorities: the Endocrine Society, the American Thyroid Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics all recommend multivitamins during pregnancy. Despite what the skeptics say, most OBGYNs and family doctors also recommend supplementing with a prenatal vitamin formula.

Proven: Shift Work is Detrimental to Your Health

Jun 29 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Modern society has become almost “timeless” due to electric lighting and other technology. We can buy groceries at midnight, get medical care at any hour, and access 24/7 customer service for any problems that arise during the day or night. There are definite benefits to this constant access. However, there may be serious health consequences for the people who keep our world running around the clock.

Shift Work and the Circadian Rhythm

The main problem with shift work is that the timing of sleep matters. Our bodies are made to run by internal clocks that are set by light levels. When our retinas sense light, they pass signals to the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) to shut down the production of melatonin and other biochemicals associated with sleep. Our circadian rhythm is also affected by factors such as temperature and the timing of meals.

How does shift work affect the circadian rhythm? People who work odd hours often must function at times when their bodies are telling them to settle into bed so key restorative processes can occur. They must try to sleep at times when cortisol and other hormones that encourage wakefulness are high. People who engage in shift work suffer from a long-term form of jet lag, in which their internal clocks are not aligned with their lifestyle.

The Out-of-Sync Brain

What happens to the human body when shift work forces the circadian rhythm out of sync with the environment? Researchers have discovered a variety of effects. Anyone who has lost a night of sleep knows the short-term effects. People feel more fatigued and suffer from “fuzzy” thinking, but the effects on cognition do not stop there. Chronobiology research has found that people who engage in shift work perform lower on cognitive tests, with the effects lasting up to five years after they resume a typical day schedule. Medical staff who work nights are more likely to miss critical issues and often struggle to stay awake, much less to perform to a high standard of care. However, the effects of shift work extend beyond mood and mental function. There appear to be long-term effects on disease risk and lifespan as well.

Can Shift Work Affect Your Long-Term Health?

New research suggests that cardiovascular health is one of the areas most effected by shift work. Deep sleep allows our hearts to rest and to perform cell repair as well as other restorative processes. Without adequate sleep, people have higher blood levels of stress hormones and increased heart rates. The result is an increased risk of cardiovascular disease that can ultimately be life-threatening.

In addition, people who work odd shifts have a higher risk of stroke and experience more devastating strokes when they do occur. Lab rats who have a disrupted circadian rhythm are more likely to have lasting brain damage and loss of limb function after a stroke.

Disproportionately Severe Effects on Women

Shift work increases risk factors for chronic disease across the board, but the exact effects appear to depend a great deal on biological sex. While men are at higher risk of permanent disability from a stroke, women get the short end of the stick overall. A study of nurses found that women who work night shifts see more negative effects on their heart health than males, even when adjusted for lifestyle and risk factors. They have a higher incidence of coronary artery disease, heart attack and death from heart problems. This increase in risk is significant, at about 15 to 18 percent higher.

Why do men and women suffer different health consequences from shift work? It appears that male and female bodies react different to disruptions in the circadian rhythm. A study of sleep-deprived volunteers of both sexes found that women have more changes in mood and cognitive performance than men when subjected to a disrupted internal clock. This may pose a challenge to the public health as many jobs involving shift work, such as nursing and waitressing, are traditionally female professions.

Our society requires 24-hour staffing in many fields to accommodate modern lifestyles. However, this does not come without consequences for the workers involved. While we will always need medical and law enforcement staff around the clock, it may be better for public health to allow workers in less time-sensitive industries to go home in the evening and get the good night of sleep that they need for optimal health.

Digital Detox: How Unplugging Can Recharge Your Batteries & Reset Your Circadian Rhythm

Jun 22 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Electronic devices have allowed us to be more connected, yet more detached. Smartphones, tablets and other devices give us access to information, social media and email 24 hours a day. While this should make it easier to manage our lives and maintain meaningful connections, it appears to actually be hindering us in these areas. New research suggests that taking a periodic digital detox may be the answer.

The Downside of the Digital Life

There is no question about it: Most modern people depend on their digital devices. We stay connected to friends and family on Facebook, collaborate on work projects online, and entertain ourselves with Netflix or ebooks. There are benefits to having this constant access: We can handle work emergencies with a few swipes on the phone and be reached in seconds should an emergency occur.

However, there are downsides to this arrangement as well. Many people are invisibly chained to their devices. The blue light from electronic devices is now known to disrupt the circadian rhythm and delay sleep onset. Smartphone use has been linked to the steady rise in sleep disorders, which now affect almost half of American adults. Constantly using devices makes us less empathetic and hinders our ability to communicate effectively. It may even increase narcissism. Researchers have identified that constant technology use can cause mild attention deficits and a lack of critical thinking, a condition dubbed “monkey brain syndrome.” It seems that constant access to technology may be a threat to both public and individual health. What is the answer?

What Happens When We Unplug?

New research suggests that unplugging from technology may be good for our physical, emotional and social health. In a recent study, researchers took a group of people to Morocco. They spent the first night socializing in a hotel with full access to their devices. After this, they were taken to the desert and stripped of their digital access. The results were surprising. Not only did these research subjects build deeper friendships and have higher-quality interactions, but they also had better posture, felt more rested despite the same amount of sleep and were able to develop more creative solutions to their problems.

Is it time for Americans and Europeans to throw away their smartphones and devices? Unfortunately, this is not possible in the modern world. However, taking a few device-free days occasionally, known informally as a “digital detox,” may be beneficial. Being online regularly throughout the day and night actually depletes nutrient stores in critical areas of our brains. It only takes a few days to rebuild these stores and undo the damage of constant screen use.

Options for Digital Detox

Modern people do not need to attend an expensive digital detox retreat to unplug for a few days. If you want to give your mind a rest from the online rat race, plan for a weekend offline. Notify coworkers, friends, and family ahead of time that you will not be reachable for a set time period and plan a few days of relaxation and fun. At the end of the detox, experts recommend that you give serious consideration to how you re-enter the digital world. Can you cut back on the amount of time you spend on devices? Which apps improve your life and which make it more stressful? Once you have traded your “monkey brain” for a more human one, it will be easier to critically analyze how media affects your existence.

There is no question about it: Modern life demands that most people have a certain amount of screen time and digital access. However, we can use these things in moderation rather than letting them rule our lives and cause neurological disruption. Putting phones and other devices away for a few days may be just what the doctor ordered. Modern technology is supposed to make our lives easier rather than more difficult.

Seven Signs You Have Low Serotonin

Apr 27 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Serotonin, which is often referred to as the “happiness hormone,” is most often associated with happiness and feelings of well-being. While this inhibitory neurotransmitter definitely has an effect on mood, it also affects our brains and bodies in a variety of other ways. Low serotonin can impact nearly every system in the body, causing symptoms that interfere with just about every aspect of daily life. Here are just a few ways that low serotonin can interfere with your health and well-being.

1. High Anxiety

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are often used to treat anxiety because anxiety is one of the most common symptoms of a serotonin deficiency. While serotonin is not the only hormone implicated in anxiety, people who suffer from anxiety disorders have been shown to have low serotonin in key areas of the brain.

2. Memory Problems

Serotonin is important for cognition and thinking, especially in the area of memory. When people suffer from low serotonin, they may not have trouble storing new memories, a process known as memory consolidation. This leads to difficulty in school, work and everyday tasks. If your memory just isn’t what it used to be, consider boosting serotonin levels as a method of treatment.

3. Carb Cravings

If you find yourself reaching for sweets and starches when you are feeling depleted, low serotonin may be the culprit. Eating complex carbs can indirectly raise your serotonin levels by shifting metabolism to carbohydrate pathways rather than those that use amino acids. This impacts serotonin levels because tryptophan, an essential amino acid, can then be used as a building block for serotonin rather than for energy.

4. Digestive Difficulties

If you associate serotonin with the brain, you only know half the story. Ninety percent of your body’s serotonin is located in the GI tract, where it plays a key role in regulating digestion. When you have low serotonin in your gut, you may suffer from diarrhea, anxiety and a variety of other gastrointestinal symptoms.

5. Insomnia

We fall asleep in response to a rise in melatonin and serotonin levels. Without these two hormones, people may find it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep. In addition to being important to the process of falling asleep, serotonin is also a precursor to melatonin, which means it can be converted into this sleep hormone. If you are low on serotonin, you may be low on melatonin as well.

6. Increased Appetite

Have you been feeling hungry even when you have just eaten? Low serotonin levels may be the reason. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter most implicated in hunger. Serotonin inhibits dopamine, so low serotonin may mean an increase in hunger and eating. If you can’t stop eating, try to choose foods that support healthy serotonin production.

7. Chronic Pain

Abnormal serotonin levels have been repeatedly linked to chronic pain disorders such as fibromyalgia and chronic headaches. If you suffer from muscle aches, headaches, or other chronic pain, low serotonin may be the culprit.

Natural Ways to Treat Low Serotonin

There are a few ways to increase your serotonin if you believe it may be low. Many people find relief taking a 5-HTP supplement. In addition, research has found that meditation, exercise and light exposure all may increase serotonin levels. There are also foods that can increase serotonin levels such as milk, chickpeas and a variety of brightly-colored vegetables. Eating well and taking supplements often can help alleviate symptoms of low serotonin.

Low serotonin is so common in the U.S. that it is almost an epidemic. Many people suffer from vague health symptoms that cannot be treated effectively by modern medicine. Finding natural ways to increase serotonin can allow many people to function better and feel better in their daily lives.

Omega-3 Supplementation Linked to Healthier Mood and Better Cognitive Function

Apr 01 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Low-fat diets are all the rage in the Western world, with many trying to follow medical advice to keep fat consumption low and avoid fried foods. However, there is one fat that many people actually need to consume more of: omega-3 fatty acids. These fatty acids are important to brain and joint function and play a vital role in almost every area of the body.

What Is are Omega-3 Fatty Acids?

Omega-3 fatty acids are unsaturated and present in a variety of naturally oily foods, such as fish, nuts and flaxseeds. The best known omega-3 fatty acids are DHA and EPA, both of which can be found in fish. Another omega-3 fatty acid is ALA, found in nuts and seeds such as flaxseed.

Omega-3s have a variety of positive health effects, but they are not present in large enough amounts in the Western diet. This is why physicians often recommend that people take a supplement with these healthy oils. They have been found to support good joint function in people with arthritis, improve cardiovascular health and protect against cellular inflammation. While these are all positive effects, new studies are suggesting that the real benefit of omega-3s may be related to brain function and mood.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids and Depression

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is one of the most severe types of clinical depression, as well as one of the most difficult to treat. People who suffer from this disease feel a pervasive sadness that affects every area of their lives. While there are many antidepressants available, it can be difficult to find a dosage high enough to treat the effects of this disease yet low enough to minimize side effects. A new study suggests that taking an omega-3 supplement can help people suffering from MDD.

In this study, researchers found that omega-3s had an effect similar to antidepressants on people with MDD. Even better, these long chain fatty acids can be taken along with antidepressants, potentially doubling the mood-boosting effects. Most antidepressants increase the amount of circulating serotonin, the hormone associated with happiness. Omega-3s appear to increase the sensitivity of cell receptors to serotonin, allowing the higher circulating levels of this hormone to have an even greater effect. In addition, the effect of omega-3 fatty acids on serotonin receptors can improve the mood of people who are not even taking antidepressants.

Unsaturated Fats and Alzheimer Disease

A slight decrease in memory and cognitive skills is normal in aging. However, people with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia suffer losses that are abnormal and have negative effects on almost every area of their lives. In Alzheimer’s disease, most of the effects are caused by loss of neurons, especially those with acetylcholine receptors. Acetylcholine is essential to brain function, so the inability to respond to this neurohormone can affect cognition and almost every aspect of a patient’s life.

New research is giving hope for those suffering from Alzheimer’s disease, finding that taking omega-3 fatty acids appears to have a protective effect on neurons. People who take an omega-3 supplement perform better on memory tests and show fewer symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease and other age-related cognitive decline. This study suggests that we all may be able to protect our brains from both natural aging and degenerative disease by taking a simple fish oil supplement.

There are many amazing new drugs on the market, but research is finding over and over that the keys to managing some health concerns are already available to the public. Certain dietary supplements can improve health comparable to some “miracle drugs,” but with fewer side effects and less expense. Omega-3s appear to be important in maintaining a good mood and high cognitive function, so this supplement should be part of your daily health regimen.